Advisory for travel within the Middle East North Africa (MENA) Region

Updated travel advisory for the Middle East North Africa (MENA) Region issued on March 3, 2026, by Nathan Brostrom, Executive Vice President and CFO, and Kevin Confetti, Associate Vice President & Chief Risk Officer. 

This past weekend (February 28 – March 2, 2026) was marked by a significant escalation in the Middle East, primarily driven by the US-Israeli military strikes on Iran and Iran’s subsequent retaliatory attacks. In light of this, the University of California is issuing updated travel guidance to the advisory issued on July 3, 2025. With the health and safety of our students, faculty, and staff as our highest priority, we are advising all members of the UC community to discontinue travel to the MENA region until further notice.

Travelers currently in the Middle East should be prepared to shelter in place until airspace has reopened or conditions for secure transport have been arranged. Those wanting support to depart can contact Chubb-AXA Global Travel Assistance to be connected to security evacuation resources.

Risks in the region may be seen in countries not directly related to the current cross-border conflict. Anti-Israeli and Anti-American sentiment may be present in areas across MENA, and rallies encouraging de-escalation are likely to occur. The attached Advice Sheet from UC’s travel security provider, Crisis 24, offers guidance for reducing your vulnerability during civil unrest, riots and demonstrations. We will continue to monitor the situation closely and will issue an updated advisory when appropriate.

Thank you for your cooperation and partnership in keeping our UC community safe.

Nathan Brostrom
Executive Vice President & CFO

Kevin Confetti
Associate Vice President & Chief Risk Officer